The Team

Full-time Staff

David Taufoou – Executive Director

David “T” Taufoou founded LEMO in 2008 to serve what he sees as a gaping need in the community among under-resourced youth. Raised in Redwood City, California, by a single mother, T has a uniquely authentic perspective on the importance of mentorship and opportunity for developing teenagers. T escaped the self-defeating path of gang life and addiction, attending Junipero Serra High School, where he is a Hall of Fame athlete. After graduating from Serra, T attended Southeast Missouri State University on a football scholarship, where he met his future wife, Ali. T’s own journey of self-discovery through sports and his deep understanding of how positive role models impacted his life were the impetus for his calling to impact kids with similar life stories. After college, T and Ali moved to the San Francisco area to begin his life’s work in community service as the Founder and Executive Director of LEMO Foundation.

e: dtaufoou@lemofoundation.org

Ali Tyson Taufoou – Director of Marketing/Education

Ali Tyson Taufoou co-founded the LEMO Foundation in 2008 with her husband, David Taufoou, and leads the organization’s academic activities as the Director of Education. Among other important contributions, Ali established an academic tracking system that helps Playmakers be accountable for their studies. She believes that with the right structure, support and resources, all kids can thrive academically. She works hard at creating an equal opportunity for kids to be successful and closing the academic gap in under-resourced communities.

Growing up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Ali attended Notre Dame Regional High School, where she was a four-sport athlete and competed in state tournaments and meets in volleyball, basketball, soccer and swimming. She was recently inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame and still holds the school record in the 100 meter breast stroke.

In 2007, Ali graduated magna cum laude from Menlo College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration as well as all-league honors in volleyball. In 2008, she continued her playing career in volleyball and basketball at The Academy of Art University, the only art program that is a member of the prestigious NCAA. While getting her Master of Fine Arts degree in Advertising, Ali became the Assistant Coach for the volleyball program. Ali graduated from the Academy of Art University in 2011.

Ali is currently the Assistant Volleyball Coach at Sacred Heart Preparatory – Atherton.

e: ataufoou@lemofoundation.org

Ali Magner – Director of Operations

Ali Magner co-founded the LEMO Foundation and leads the life skills program as well as the development team. Ali plays an integral role in both developing the internal structure for the LEMO Foundation and mentoring the LEMO Playmakers by being highly involved in their day-to-day lives.

Ali brings to LEMO over 13 years of experience as a volleyball player and coach. A native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Ali is an accomplished student-athlete and coach who played NCAA Division I volleyball first at North Carolina State and later at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Ali graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and a minor in International Business.

After graduating from UAB, Ali started her coaching career as an assistant coach for the volleyball program at Western Carolina University. In 2004, Ali became an assistant coach at the UAB and later interim head coach. Ali was the second-youngest head coach in NCAA Division I volleyball and led the UAB Blazers to a 14-13 record in 2005, snapping an eight-year slide of sub-.500 finishes.

After receiving a Master in Business Administration from UAB in 2006, Ali ended her coaching tenure there and accepted a leadership role at the Academy of Art University, the only art school that is a member of the prestigious NCAA. Ali was a founding member of the university’s athletic department and served as head coach of the volleyball program and Assistant Athletic Director.

In addition to her role as Director of Life Skills for LEMO, Ali is the Head Volleyball Coach at Sacred Heart Preparatory – Atherton.

amagner@lemofoundation.org

Lopeti Taufoou – Strength Coach

Lopeti Taufoou joined LEMO in 2014. Lopeti was raised locally and lives in Redwood City with his wife, Maryann, and their three children, Malakai, Nanise, Lopeti Jr.

Lopeti believes that athletic training is a powerful tool to teach kids intangible values and life lessons in order to make them better members of the community. Lopeti’s workouts focus on speed, endurance, explosive movements, flexibility, core and regeneration to improve athletic performance. The GT Program is designed to integrate the LEMO philosophies of “Passion, Purpose and Impact” with athletic training as a way to develop life skills and understanding that translate into other areas of life, including academic and personal development. Lopeti has faced a great deal of adversity in his life and has used his experiences to help guide and mentor kids on their journey. His personal mission is to change each and every kid’s life that he comes in contact with by leading by example and pushing them to set and achieve their personal goals.

Lia Havili – Director of Athletic Performance

Keoni Tamiano-Block – Director of Branding & Creative Genius

Alysha Ramirez-Hall – Director of Programs & Grants

Bert Yaffe – Program Development & Head Academic Tutor

Volunteer Staff

Ginny Terndrup – Director of Academics

Ginny Terndrup graduated from University of San Diego with a Masters in Education in 1983. She has been teaching full-time, part-time, and as a substitute teacher locally since 1985. She has tutored junior high and high school students for the last 10 years. Teaching is an outlet that brings her challenges, joy, and satisfaction with student success.

LEMO is a cause she finds deeply rewarding. The staff and students are motivated to be the best they can be as students and as individuals within a larger community. “It has always been a joy to work with the kids at LEMO. They want to work; they want to push themselves to be the best they can be. Then they contribute to their families and their communities. As a teacher, there is nothing more satisfying and rewarding than to work with a student, of any ability, who wants to work hard for the right reasons.”

Ginny is married, has three children and a Labrador that keep her busy outside the world of “educating minds”. Her free time is spent with her family, hiking, pursuing an interest in photography, and staying active outside.